Rest Your Bones
by Rembaud
Summary: Katie is a healer at St. Mungo's, Marcus plays for the Falcons. A chance encounter leads to a bet, a deal, and something more.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"Oi! Bell, emergency over here," A voice called across the Joscelind Finwick Ward on the ground floor of St. Mungo's hospital. A witch tripped over her violently lime green robes while getting to her feet, separating herself from a hospital bed where a man was lying unconscious with his left leg twisted in an awkward direction.

She reached the bed where the Healer-in-Charge was calling from just in time to see a wave of medi-wizards swarm in through the door, levitating with them a stretcher where a form lay tangled in grey and white robes.

"Falmouth?" Katie asked, grimacing at the dark stains that were appearing on the white falcon head on the body's chest.

Elliot Despard nodded quickly before saying, "they had a match against the Wanderers today." He oversaw the body being placed on the healing bed, shooed the extra medi-wizards away before snapping the privacy curtains shut. He swiped a hand over his graying hair and then snapped at the three wizards left surrounding the bed.

"Perkins, release the blood-stopping charms before we get started, Bell, begin unclogging the blood from the lungs before starting on the face, and I'll work on the bones. Lufkin, report."

Katie slipped into action as soon as her boss moved his wand towards the poor, beaten man's ribs, only half-listening to the medi-witch's report on the injuries sustained that weren't already obvious and expected blood loss, flicking her eyes to the man's face as the charms were released and he started the gurgle softly. A little trickle of blood began a trail of blood down his chin and disappeared into his rustled robes. The rest of his face was concealed by a white towel that was slowly beginning to turn dark red.

After four years of training and another two in residency, Katie didn't even have to mutter the spells she knew to relieve the pressure from his lungs and move the blood out of the blocked airways. She heard the familiar cracks as Healer Despard repaired the collapsed ribs on the right side of the man's body. Placing three fingers of her non-wand hand on the man's throat and not looking up to see the suspicious look that she knew appeared on Perkins' face, she navigated the blood from the lungs up the throat. Her eyelids flickered and she put all of her focus into the three fingers and the little slip of magic that emanated through them, letting her knowledge of the human body and magical healing do its' work, unclogging all of the airways and healing the minor internal scrapes and cuts the broken ribs had caused. When she had first tried this technique as a trainee, everyone had looked at her like she was mad, even after she had successfully closed a small wound seeping blood into its' victim's trachea. It took a few long hours to explain to Healer-in-Charge Smethwyck that it was just _instinct_, like her magic was just inured to using wandless magic to healing small scrapes while her medical training of the body allowed her to guide excess fluid and objects out of the body with her wand.

"Basin," She called, opening her eyes and interrupting Lufkin's stream of words—"bludger to the right flank and spun headfirst off his broom into a goal post before dropping forty feet to the ground."

Perkins hurried to place a deep metal dish beside the victim's face just as blood began to stream steadily and neatly out of his mouth. Once, it would have made her feel squeamish, but now Katie was accustomed to everything working on the Artifact Accident floor of St. Mungo's could bring, especially when it came to the Joscelind Finwick Ward specializing in Quidditch injuries.

The job combined her love of Quidditch and confidence in healing spells into one, and was something that made her a well-requested Healer on the floor. She wasn't as good at poisons as she was injuries, and after spending five months in the Spell Damage Ward herself she was still a little uncomfortable dealing with curses and permanent patients.

Her mum liked to say she would have made a fantastic surgeon in the muggle world, had she not inherited the wizarding gene.

She kept her feet on the ground now and her mind occupied with the more dangerous injuries that brought famous Quidditch players in her ward. With ties to the professional teams like Angelina and Oliver, Katie hoped her talent at Quidditch injuries and experience with Quidditch itself would get her a job of serving as a private Healer to a professional team one day, but the chances of getting a position like that at such a young age were slim. Healer Despard once mentioned that if she kept up such a great repertoire of successes and good recoveries, she could become the next Head of the Ward, and one day Healer-in-Chief of the whole floor. After he retired, of course.

The compliment had made her grin for hours until she realized that the gruff wizard was only just nearing his fifties and was just as likely to retire as soon as Harry Potter stopped being the-boy-who-defeated-Voldemort.

Katie did a scanning spell with her wand and nodded as the scan on the lungs came back satisfactory enough before moving on to the bloodied towel on the player's face.

Her face scrunched up in a cringe when she first looked at it. "Right into the goalpost?" She asked.

Lufkin nodded. "Right cheekbone broken, shattered nose, and major bruising, uh, everywhere."

His face was, to put it simply, an absolute disaster. But Katie didn't focus on the details, instead whispering "_Tergeo_" to wipe the mess clean. She was minutely glad there were no teeth protruding anywhere as she began to heal the cheekbone and then moved onto the more delicate process of repairing the nose.

"The Falcons are a riot to watch but really, you'd think they'd try a little less to come so close to _dying_ every match," She said.

During the whole, short session the man had laid prone and still on the hospital bed, but at the first mention of his team his less-bruised eye started to flicker open and he groaned.

Katie kept her wand hovering over his rapidly reforming nose and flicked her eyes to his now open ones. She stopped suddenly.

"Is this Flint?!"

All three of the other wizards watching over the injured man stopped their duties at her undignified screech. Despard gave her a strange sort of look before returning to his healing, while Perkins scrambled to keep his grip on the basin filled with blood that he had nearly dropped.

Amelda Lufkin sniffed haughtily before straightening her lime robes, saying, "Of course it is, I've said it nearly three times now. Marcus Flint, lead chaser for the Falmouth Falcons, blood type O positive—"

"Marcus bloody Flint!" Katie responded, rather unprofessionally. Her boss rolled his eyes.

"Alright, Bell, now that we've established he's Marcus "bloody" Flint can you get back to work on that nose?" Despard was rather used to all sorts of language that was spread around the Quidditch Ward, especially when it came to certain rambunctious players.

Katie shifted back into place and held her wand to his nose again, feeling much more agitated than before. Her hazel-green eyes kept flickering from her wand to Flint's eyes, which she now saw were fairly dazed looking, but soon enough the job was done and Healer Despard was telling her she could leave her shift early since most of the body except for minor bruising was repaired. She glanced at the clock on the way out and snorted—_three minutes barely counts as early_, she thought.

She quickly tugged her robes off and hung them in the tiny locker with her name on it in the changing rooms, pulling off her comfy trainers and socks, then tugged on a pair black flats and her winter coat. For the finishing touch she wrapped a scarf around her neck and apparated to Diagon Alley.

Following the path of trodden snow down to the brightest store in the whole alley, she walked into Weasleys' Wizarding Weazes.

"Hey," She greeted Ron, who was stacking skiving snackboxes on a shelf near the entryway. He smiled and waved back.

"Katie! My favorite, completely un-related sister!" George Weasley shouted jovially from where he was wrapping up a package for the last customer. Once he was done he hopped over the counter and rushed past the disgruntled looking man, wrapped his arms around the blonde girl and swung her around. The only thing that allowed him to get away with it was her arms crushed to her sides and the fact that at two inches over five foot, Katie fell nearly a head shorter than the redhead.

Once released, she smiled back. George had had a rough start after the war, more so than many she knew, certain of it because of how close he was to his twin. They had all tried to rally him up and get him out of the depressed state but the only thing that had truly worked was the opening of the new store in Hogsmeade after buying out Zonko's. It wasn't rare now to see him smiling, especially now that he and Angie were dating, and since he might very well have the most fun job in the wizarding world.

"I thought we were all meeting up here first?" Katie asked and George pointed to the second story.

"Alicia's taking down the baubles from the windows upstairs and Lee's closing up shop now in Hogsmeade. Angie should be a bit late, so she'll meet us at the pub." Katie nodded and climbed the winding staircase to the second story, finding her friend by the windows charming down strings of golden, glowing baubles and tinsel that lined them.

"Hey, Leesh."

Alicia gave a tight smile and put the decorations into box marked "Christmas."

"Evening!" She tried, cheerfully, packing up the box and stacking it next to a few others. Katie eyed her tall friend a little warily, seeing how strict the muscles around her eyes and mouth were.

"What's wrong?"Katie frowned, asking, "Did you fight again with Henry?" Alicia's on-again-off-again boyfriend Henry had great looks to match Alicia's own, but as far as personality went, none of her friends liked him much at all. Every time they broke up, she and Angelina would try to set up with a new guy, but Alicia always managed to drift back to Henry.

She nodded and sat on the boxes, placing her face in her hands. "Yeah. Real stupid this time, but I think it's finally over."

Katie put on her best sympathetic face. She was truly sorry for the pain her best friend was in, but every part of her knew she would be better off without that guy.

"Well, if it's any consolation, he's a total wanker." She finally settled on, wrapping an arm around the other girl.

Alicia snorted. "You can say that again."

"I think I've said it a million times," Katie grinned, then pulled her to her feet. "Come on, let's go get us some dinner."

"Will there be beer?"

"Loads of it," Katie responded and together they walked downstairs to join George just as Lee literally popped in behind the counter. Everyone together, George saluted his little brother and allowed him to lock up when he was finished, and lead the group back into the alley where they stomped through the winter cold and down to the pub they had reserved a table at.

The Ironbelly Pub had an appearance close to that of the Three Broomsticks, but had a reputation for being one of the more rowdy restaurant and bar because it often housed celebrations for Quidditch teams and Aurors. It was mostly avoided by those wanting a calmer environment, but Katie and her friends had quickly found the raucous and familiar atmosphere similar to the comfortable Gryffindor common room, and often met up for dinner or drinks. The dark silver dragon on the sign hanging above the door gave a silent roar of red sparks as the four friends approached and entered the pub with bright smiles and cheeks raw and red from the wind.

They grabbed a table far from the noisy bar and ordered a round of butterbeers as they waited for their fifth member to join them.

Alicia started to sigh as she held the warm drink in her hands, but Katie would have none of it. Under the table, she kicked Lee, who had previously been flirting with a buxom girl across the room, and motioned toward their sulking friend.

"I think we need some cheering up," Katie announced, looking at George. He looked scandalized but it was quickly replaced with his signature grin. Even if he didn't get up to all the pranks he used to when Fred was alive, he still by far was the best story teller, and always knew a joke or two to liven up a dead atmosphere.

"Right, then. Today some bloke walked into the store with a bird that must've been his muggle sister or something, as she was staring up at all the displays and toys flying around like she was a firstie at Hogwarts. And so I walked up to the pair and offered him a canary cream to try, right? I was thinking the bloke must've told her it was a joke shop and expected her to jump back when he poofed out in feathers but she started screaming at the top of her bloody lungs! The girl nearly broke down into tears on the floor before he molted back to normal. It was outrageous," Katie and even Alicia started to laugh, imagining the scene, and Lee merely snorted.

"Then you've had a good day," He said, rubbing a hand through his dark dreadlocks. "A kid spilled open a can of that Peruvian Darkness Powder and instantly the whole store was blacked out. Thank Merlin for those anti-theft charms," Lee's normally dark skin had taken on a pallor that enhanced the shadows underneath his eyes. Taking on the store in Hogsmade had been a dream for him, but the stress of running a shop without the help of Fred or George was clearly starting to show.

Katie frowned as she looked around at all of her friends, noting the tired looks they all wore. It might be the late winter darkness and lack of sun, but suddenly she got the feeling that all of them had just aged three years older.

"I worked on Flint in the hospital today," She announced.

"Marcus bloody Flint?" A new voice inquired, causing the group at the table to grin and make room for an extra chair to be added. Angelina Johnson sat down between her boyfriend and Lee, giving the former a quick peck and then greeting her two best friends.

"And here we were just talking about good news," George chirped as he slung an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.

"And you were talking about Flint?" She responded dryly, tugging her hair out of its tight braid. She had on jeans and a faded tee but must've just come from Quidditch practice, since Katie noticed her face looked like it had been rubbed raw from the cold wind and her hands clasped tightly around the warm butterbeer that George handed her.

"He was beat into a bloody pulp," Katie added and smirked. All prejudices aside, they all still loved it when a Slytherin got a taste of their own medicine, even after being six and seven years out of Hogwarts.

"Sounds pleasant," Angie grinned at her, causing Katie to laugh and shake her head. If he had still looked like that when her shift had ended, Katie might have been a bit more downcast and worried, but she could see her work had been good in clearing his lungs except for one major hole that needed to heal itself on its own.

"So that's it for news?" Lee asked. Alicia and tapped a finger on her chin and shrugged, while Angelina and George exchanged a sly look.

"Well…" They giggled and said, "There is _something_ else…" Angie grinned and then dug her hand around in her pocket, before flashing her it up in front of the group.

"We're engaged!" She shouted, then almost toppled over backwards as Katie nearly hurled across the table to hug her and Alicia pounced from the other side. The two girls began gushing over the bright diamond ring as Lee congratulated George and tapped his butterbeer against the redhead's. The two men let the girls giggle and pour over the ring and Angelina for a few minutes before they deemed that if it didn't stop soon, it never would.

"Alright, alright, announcement's over, let's order something to eat," George laced his fingers with his new fiancée and beckoned a waitress over to take their order.

"When?" Alicia trilled, her former dark mood completely dissolving.

"New Year's," Angie replied, still grinning.

"And you just tell us _now_? It's been nearly a week!" Katie shouted. Secrets as big as these didn't normally go hidden longer than a day between the three of them. Ever since her second year at Hogwarts when she'd made the Quidditch game, the three of them had been almost as inseparable as Harry, Ron, and Hermione, telling each other secrets and holding impromptu sleepovers in the dorms.

Angelina shrugged. "We wanted to wait until everyone was together."

The group ordered their meal and talked about all of the details for the wedding, including the date set ("April 21st, before Quidditch season"), the color of the napkins ("_Anything_ but orange,"), and the flavor of cake ("Definitely chocolate").

After dinner they were in such a good mood they picked up another case of butterbeers and decided to continue celebrating at George's flat, using the floo because they were all feeling just a little bit too buzzed to try and apparate. The girls stumbled through the fireplace giggling and holding on to each other for support, while Lee and George carried the crate over to the oversized couches.

"When did butterbeer get so strong?" Alicia asked, slumping down onto the loveseat next to Lee.

"I reckon it's a Weasley thing," Katie joked, a light flush on her face.

"You're the one who introduced me to muggle alcohol in the first place," George responded, smiling as he cast a spell over the crates. Whatever he did to the drinks caused the taste to stay the same but the alcohol content to go up to that of a muggle beer, and for once his friends didn't mind the countless concoctions he still liked to create.

"Sure, blame the half-blood," She replied.

She curled up on one side of the large couch next to Angelina as George went to find a bottle opener, letting the dark-skinned girl play with her long, blonde hair. Katie fell into a comfortable and familiar daze as they all chatted away and sipped at their drinks like they had done back when they were in Gryffindor tower. Lee and the twins would conspire against whatever teacher had caught their interest that week, while Alicia would prattle on about some cute guy that had caught her attention, and Angelina would braid someone's hair. Katie, being the youngest (and also, incidentally, the smallest), would be content to listen to the others and occasionally join in on a joke, or share a witty remark, just simply basking in the contented air that surrounded them.

Sometimes even Oliver would join them, but was usually kicked out and sent to his dorm after his third insistence that they go over a new play he had just come up with. All in good humor, of course; even the twins loved Ollie.

She smiled with remorse as her thoughts led her to think of Fred, her first real crush. Of course, she had been a silly third year and had no idea yet that the two most cheerful boys in their house would become the most painfully obnoxious boys through her next few years as their best friend. The few times he and George had taken her along for a prank, she had been caught and put into detention, and deemed a hopeless cause by the twins. She missed Fred, the more outspoken twin, the boy who had danced with her at the Yule ball after her date from Durmstrang had turned out to be a prick, the other half of George.

Katie could still see the effect on George, who tugged on the hair-covered scarred spot his ear used to be even when he was deep in conversation. George had recovered, for sure, but there was less twinkling in his eyes, a duller sparkle in his smile, and he didn't experiment as often on new products. She was happy when he and Angie had finally gotten together, seeing that the dark-haired chaser restored some of the lost glimmer.

Without noticing she had drifted to sleep, Katie found herself being shaken awake some time later by Angelina. She looked around and saw George trying to clear up the clutter of bottles that had abounded on the floor, most surrounding a drooling Lee, while Alicia stretched her arms above her head. The girls headed for their coats.

"Still wearing that?" Alicia grinned as Katie wound her scarf around her neck. It had been a gift from the group after Katie had completed her healer training, the same obnoxious green color as the robes she had to wear when she went in to work.

Katie pouted and snuggled into the soft fabric, mumbling, "S'warm. I like it." Alicia tugged on it teasingly and Katie reached out to clutch her hands, sneaking her face deeper into the swath of lime green fabric, swatting away the other girl's giggling attempts to unwind it.

Angelina rolled her eyes at their childish antics, said goodnight to George as he levitated the passed out Lee to the larger couch, and lead the way into the hall. The three girls walked down the narrow stairway that lead to the back alley behind W.W.W. She hugged each of them before disapparating.

Just as Katie was about to wish her friend goodnight and disapparate herself, she noticed Alicia shuffling the dirt on the ground around with her right foot.

She remembered the conversation before dinner then. "You, uh, want to stay at mine for the night?" She asked timidly. Alicia looked up unsurely, then nodded. When they got to her flat, Katie summoned a pair of sheets and pulled out the futon. She placed them next to some extra pillows and blankets before turning to her downcast friend.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No… I just don't want to see him yet," Alicia answered. Katie let her wallow a bit as she transfigured an extra pair of pajamas to accommodate Alicia's height, and then gave her friend a goodnight hug.

"Just for the night," Alicia smiled, but Katie held her at arm's length to look into her brown eyes.

"For as long as you need," Katie answered. She knew what happened after a stiff breakup, especially when healing from a tumultuous relationship with a not-so-great guy. It was a general rule between the three friends—they would go to any length for the other, and had, in the past.

"Thanks, Katie."

"G'night, Leesh."

* * *

Wow, this is my first fanfic in a _long_ time. And by long, I mean about five years. So! I hope you like the story so far and I would reeeaaally like it if you would review! Pretty please!

Rembaud


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"_Imperio!"_

_Everything was a blur of color and light around her. There was laughter, there were whispers, and at the edges of her vision was a cloying darkness. The world was foggy and unreal. She walked with a purpose but couldn't tell where to; every thought in her head was gone, left with just this one mission. It was everything. It was important enough that her pulse raced erratically, her hands began to shake and the package she had started to crush between her clenched fingers. She heard a voice and recognized it only moments later. Her own._

"_Katie, what are you—"_

"_Katie, stop!"_

"_Katie!"_

_And suddenly she was in the air, not flying on her broom but suspended and motionless, her mouth open and screams tearing through it. She tried to say something but couldn't do anything but scream and cry. There were voices around her and she struggled but something dark had its claws in her and wouldn't let go. And then she was falling, falling, falling…_

Katie woke with a flail and tumbled off the bed.

Her heart stuttered in her chest and while logically she knew that it was just a dream, the brief memories she had of the incident were so prominent in her head it was as if she'd just woken up in St. Mungo's six weeks after the accident. It had taken that long just to get her stabilized and she'd need many more treatments, including physical therapy, to work her way to where she had been before the curse. Even after waking up and out of reach from the necklace, she had felt a strange tugging inside to fulfill the mission.

Taking a deep breath she forced herself to calm down. It was hard, mornings after the nightmares. They were always the same. It was the only time she remembered the time she had been under the Imperius curse.

"You alright?" Alicia stuck her head into the room. Her mousy brown hair was ruffled but even in transfigured pajamas she was still beautiful. Katie took a moment to feel jealous, then felt guilty. Her friend had done nothing but be kind to her since the moment they had met. She didn't deserve Katie's angry, envious side.

"Yeah." Katie replied. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Why are you on the floor?"

"I like it down here. It's nice." Katie sneezed from the dust bunnies under her bed and untangled herself from the sheets, standing up.

Alicia rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Kates."

"What are you doing up so early? Isn't it your day off?" Katie straightened out her sheets and duvet on the bed.

Alicia bit her lower lip and looked away. "I thought I'd… I thought I might drop by my apartment, gather my things. If you don't mind having me for a couple more days."

Alicia had been staying with Katie for nearly a week while she searched for a new, Henry-free apartment. She had moved from the futon in the living room to the tiny second bedroom Katie used as storage. There was only a single bed, a chest of drawers and a small nightstand, but with a simple expanding charm she had doubled the size of the room and the bed. Katie was considering cleaning the boxes filled with the things she had never unpacked since moving to the flat and letting Alicia stay for good. It would be nice to have a roommate, someone she could come home and vent to after a long day at work. Alicia worked in the auror department at the Ministry; she could certainly pay her way in rent if Katie asked her to.

"Want me to go with?" Katie asked.

"No!" Alicia met her eyes. "I mean, no. I just want to get it over with. Say goodbye, and all that."

"Alright."

Katie knew that Alicia worked in the same department as Henry. It was hard for her to work with him but fortunately they weren't partners on the job. Alicia had the job of training new recruits while Henry was a field agent. He was older than her by a couple of years and had the opportunity to choose what he wanted to do, while Alicia simply did what she was assigned. For the time being, at least.

Her shift started at nine today, which was pretty late in Healer shift terms, even though she had to work later than usual. Her shifts came in twelve hour bursts. At first she had simply collapsed on her bed after she had finished a day of work but now that she was accustomed to her schedule she took on the day with a bright outlook. Healing was what she loved most. The ability to save lives and still interact with the Quidditch world made her job worth it.

She yawned. "I'm heading off to the shower."

"Right-o, Kates. See you tonight." Alicia bid her goodbye and went into the hallway to apparate to her old flat.

After a refreshing shower and a few quick drying spells to speed up her morning process, Katie grabbed a slice of toast slathered in marmalade and made for the hallway to head for work. The flat was warded against people aparating to and from, outfitted with a few spells Alicia had learned in her auror training. Just as she was grabbing her bag and opening the door, an owl slammed into the window. She sighed. It wasn't often she got mail, and if it was it was usually from an old friend from Hogwarts or Molly Weasley, inviting her to the burrow for a homecooked meal.

But as she opened the envelope and distractedly fed the owl a treat, she found that the letter was from Oliver. He was inviting her to a party at his place, making an offer she couldn't refuse: meeting coaches and Quidditch teammates of his. He knew how much she wanted a position on a team and while they hadn't been on the best of terms lately, his good heartedness showed in the invitation. He was reaching out to make amends and she would be a fool to ignore it.

She smiled slightly and quickly scrawled a reply confirming her plan to come. She was surprised that she hadn't recognized the owl. Adelaide had been Oliver's owl since before he had left Hogwarts, and when she had spent a lot of time with Oliver during her residency at St. Mungo's, she had become closely acquainted with her. Katie didn't have an owl of her own; she'd had no need of one since leaving Hogwarts as she saw her friends often and those who sent her messages had owls of their own.

The smile still on her face as she sent the owl off back to Oliver, she headed to the hallway and aparated to the ward. It seemed to be a slow day there. The only beds that were occupied were a much bruised man and Flint, in a private room next to Despard's office. She sighed. It was going to be a slow day, she just knew it.

"Where do you want me?" Katie asked when she arrived in the Quidditch ward. Healer Despard gave her a shrewd look and then pointed to a curtained bed at the end of the room.

"Check up on that one. He isn't taking too kindly to sitting in bed for another few days." He said before wandering off to his office at the other end.

She wondered who it was behind the curtains but she already had a sneaking suspicion. It was proven correct when she whipped back the curtains and strode forward, only to find Marcus Flint, in all his bruised glory, looking cross as he sat on the bed in front of her. He looked up at her with apathy. Either he didn't recognize her or he didn't care. She was guessing it was the former, because he would have made some sort of snide comment already if he _had_ recognized her.

"Well? Am I being released yet?" He sneered. Katie narrowed her eyes and gave him a level look.

"No, you're not, Flint. You've still got a hole in your lungs that needs to heal and major bruising to your diaphragm that needs to be carefully monitored." She put on her best Healer's voice, the kind she used with stubborn patients who refused to listen. Something flashed in Marcus's eyes; something dangerous. He started to stand.

"You…Bell!" He crowed, a grimace breaking out on his face as he panted from the exertion.

"Me. And that's Healer Bell, now." She replied. He sat back down and clutched at his chest.

"That's… You… Stupid Gryff—" He was cut off when a wheezing cough brought up tiny droplets of blood. Katie rushed forward to push him back onto the bed until he was settled against the pillows and had a basin in front of him.

"You need to _heal_." She said, using a soft cloth to wipe away the blood from the corners of his mouth, her fingers gentle and steady.

"Come on, Flint." She started. "As much as I'd like to, I'm not allowed to let you die."

He glared and pushed her hand away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. It wasn't necessarily true; she'd wished many painful deaths on him in the past when they were at Hogwarts, but she held little feeling towards him anymore. They were well past the petty days of Quidditch rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor. She was a mature adult. One that couldn't let a patient die because of old grudges. Her lime robes billowed out as she stepped forward to the edge of the bed and pulled her wand out.

Rowan, ten and a half inches, unicorn hair core, springy. Perfect for healing spells and charms.

"Right then." He snapped. "Get to it."

Katie rolled her eyes but let him get away with the quip. He put up no protest as she began her scans, starting with the bruises on his face and ending with the crushed bones of his toes. He was healing well despite the bruises that still covered him. He was still having trouble breathing but the hole in his lung was miniscule and nearly healed. She cast a charm that caused some of the bones to heal faster and eased his coughing with a potion. Charms had been her best subject in school, so she was very good at using them on patients.

"Alright. All you need is rest, now."

"I can rest at home." He snarled, trying to push himself into a seated position on the bed. His bruised limbs didn't comply however, and he fell back with a hiss of pain. She frowned and tucked the blankets around him.

"Flint, I'm not discharging you until your lungs show signs of getting better. You still have a small tear in the right one that needs to be mended and only time can do that." She said.

Marcus didn't take kindly to that. "I'm missing practice! We have a game against Puddlemere in a couple of weeks. You know I can't lose to _Wood_, of all people."

"Like you could ever beat Oliver." Katie said haughtily.

"Like he could ever beat _me_."

"Whatever, Flint. Get some rest or I'll restrain you." She turned around, swishing the curtains closed behind her with a flick of her wand.

The rest of the day was long with only one other incident, when two players had crashed into each other on the pitch of Potter Field, one of them impaled by a large splinter of the other's broom. When he had woken, he had almost cried over the loss of his precious Nimbus. The end of the day couldn't come quickly enough. When there was half an hour left, she was left wandering around the ward, chatting and joking with Perkins while Lufkin glanced at them with disdain from the reception desk.

"I had a Nimbus 2001, back in the day." Perkins told her. He had a dreamy look on his face, obviously reminiscing.

"I remember those." She said, thinking about the Slytherin team back at Hogwarts when Lucius Malfoy had bought the whole team new brooms.

"Best broom I've had by far." Perkins gave her a sad smile. "If only I hadn't crashed it into that tree."

Katie laughed and then heard coughing from one of the private rooms in the ward. She checked each room until she got to the end of the line of them, finding Flint hacking up a lung. She bit her lip and considered leaving him to someone else. Deciding that that was unprofessional, and that she was beyond old school grudges, she sighed and entered the room. Flint was doubled over with coughs wracking his body and little droplets of blood flying out of his mouth. She rushed towards him and helped him sit back against the pillows, propping them up with a twist of her wand.

After he had finally stopped coughing for the moment, she administered a potion very similar to muggle cough medicine. It was stronger, though, and eased the swelling of the lungs while speeding up some of the healing. Marcus gulped it down greedily, swallowing deeply despite the taste.

Once he was resting against the pillows and panting only the slightest bit, he turned a sharp eye on her.

"I heard you're the one responsible for this." He pointed to the bruises covering his face and the still slightly bumpy nose. It was an impossible attempt at fixing it; while she had done her best and repaired the sinuses, the cartilage would simply have to heal until the swelling went down and a cosmetic healer could fix it.

"For what, saving your life?" Katie rolled her eyes.

Marcus looked away. "Right." He looked uncomfortable with the fact that her special brand of wandless magic had cleared his chest of fluid and made a smoother process of fixing his lungs than any other healer could have done.

"Alright, if you're done now, my shift is over." Katie said and pivoted on one foot to go.

"When am I being released?" Flint snarled from behind her. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. He was driving her mad with all the repressed rivalry.

"We'll have to see, Flint." She said. Once she was out of the room she saw Despard enter it, talking to Marcus too softly for her to hear.

She wished she had the extendable ears that George had given her as a gift for Christmas. Then again, Flint was probably just complaining to the Healer in Charge about her.

Her day was finally over. She reached the lobby after changing into her regular day robes and apparated into the hall before her door. Someone cleared their throat behind her and she startled, jumping and swiveling around at the same time. If it was a muggle, she would be in deep trouble. Most of the flats on her floor were occupied by witches and wizards, it was so close to Diagon Alley but still in muggle London. But sometimes she came very close to being seen by a muggle and was lucky that they only thought her a bit odd. Most of the muggles in the building thought them strange, those from the wizarding world, for the things they wore and the weird way they talked about things those from the non-magical world couldn't understand.

"Merlin, Lee!" Katie said when she finally faced the man that had startled her so. "You scared me half to death!"

Lee laughed. "That's what you get for not looking after you apparate."

"Yes, Mum. I promise to look bother ways before I cross the street next time."

"Is Alicia home?" He asked. She unlocked the door with a turn of her keys and led him inside.

"She's gone to get her stuff." She answered and went into the kitchen, leaving him standing in the small living room.

Her flat wasn't the largest, but it was cozy. And close to Diagon Alley. She appreciated the proximity to a connection to the wizarding world; she had grown up just outside London in a quiet suburb filled with muggles. For a long time she had wished only to live next to wizards. But as soon as she had left home, she had felt something akin to longing for the comforts of her family house. She missed going to the field just behind her house and casting concealment charms so that she could fly on her broom with her father, her muggle mother watching and cheering from below as they passed the quaffle back and forth.

"I'll just, uh, wait." He stammered. She smirked.

"Yeah, take a seat." She gestured towards the worn out couch. It resembled something right out of the Gryffindor common room, comfortable and red and somewhat lumpy. Across from it was the futon Alicia had been sleeping on, folded up into the couch position and sheets neatly stacked atop the pillow. Lee fell back onto it.

"Y'know," He started, "I wouldn't mind if you stopped by the shop a bit more, you and the other girls."

Katie felt guilty for a moment. With her and Alicia's and Angelina's strict schedules they rarely had time to meet up, let alone go out. She felt bad that she wasn't able to go to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes store in Hogsmade more often. Her job was demanding. She barely had time in the morning to get dressed and to get at least six hours at night when she was on the night shift. And at any moment she could get an owl summoning her to St. Mungo's, a large case coming in that it didn't even matter if it was her day off. She vowed to spend more time with Lee.

It was plain and obvious that he had had a crush on Alicia since his fifth year. For a whole year he had followed her around like a puppy dog before finally deciding that the aloof act would finally win her over. When it hadn't, he had resigned himself to being just her friend, a shoulder to cry on when Alicia needed it, and a protective friend when one of her numerous boyfriends hurt her feelings. Katie felt bad that Alicia had never noticed him beyond a friend, a jokester that made her days happier and her mood lighter. If she hadn't known that Alicia was one of the kindest people out there, Katie would swear that her friend was taking advantage of him. But she was entirely ignorant to his childish adoration of her.

Katie sighed softly and put on the kettle. "I love you like a brother, Lee. So when I tell you that you need a girlfriend, I mean it out of the kindness of my heart."

"And who would I date?" He replied. "A girl who is oblivious to every advance I give?"

"Someone not Alicia." She said.

He cast his gaze downwards. "I don't think I can give her up, Kates."

"I'm not saying that. I just mean that you should let some other girl get a chance. Any witch would be grateful to have you; if I didn't already see you as a brother, I'd date you myself." Katie put her hands on her hips and stared at him sadly.

"I just… can't, Katie. Not now. She's just broken up with that arse-face. She could finally choose me, for a chance." She didn't want to get his hopes up so she said nothing, turning off the stove and pouring the tea into two mugs. She handed one to him.

* * *

The next night was a flurry of cleaning up after work and meeting her mother for a late dinner. She apparated into the field just behind her childhood home and stalked through the tall grass in her robes towards the house. She reached the back door in record time. The fields and forest near her house were familiar territory, so explored over the years as a child

"Mum!" She called.

"Katie?" Her mum appeared in the doorway to the kitchen that Katie had just entered after straightening her robes out.

Her mother wore muggle clothing just like she always did. A loose sweater left her long neck bared and a pair of loose jeans completed the outfit. Katie was used to it, choosing to wear muggle clothes often herself. Every Christmas her mother made sure to buy her a new sweater but also a pair of robes, trying to fit into the wizarding lifestyle that her husband had been brought up in.

"Sorry if I'm late. Need any help with dinner?"

"It's all on the table." The wrinkles in the corners of her eyes crinkled and she led her daughter into the formal dining room. They never used to eat in there, but after her father was killed in the second wizarding war they felt too uncomfortable to eat at the kitchen table as they had when he was still alive.

Things had been strained between them ever since her father had died, but they still kept up the weekly family dinners. The funeral had been an odd affair. All of her father's family had been in attendance, as well as many wizard friends. Her mother had felt out of place in her plain black dress as the rest of them had worn brightly colored robes to celebrate Arcturus Bell's life. Her father's family still looked down on his widow for being a muggle. They accepted Katie into their fold willingly, inviting her to spend summer breaks at their manor in Wiltshire, but had never allowed her mother to come. Even Christmas breaks had been bleak affairs, Katie and her father spending Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas day with her mother. They often sent her mother gifts that she couldn't use, magical items they knew would be useless to her.

They ate quietly, sharing tidbits about their week but mostly just eating in silence. Katie and her mother hadn't been able to connect in the years since her father's murder. They still loved each other unconditionally and followed both muggle and wizard traditions but they had little to connect to each other.

"Let me clean up." Katie said after they had finished eating. She levitated the dishes from the dining room into the kitchen, washing them with magic and not getting her hands wet.

"I wish I could do that every night." Her mother sighed as Katie wiped a dish rag over the cleaned dishes and put them away into the cabinets.

"Where would be the fun in that?" She joked. Her mother smiled softly.

"I miss you." She said. Katie felt her stomach churn. She wished she had the time to visit more often, tried harder to the repair the relationship that had come so easily before.

"Work keeps me so busy…" Katie tried but still felt guilty. She felt as if she was letting everyone in her life down, being so absorbed in her work at St. Mungo's. But there was little time for her to share with any of her friends or family.

"Me, too." Her mother said. She worked part-time at a flower shop in town. Katie knew that it wasn't true; her mother's job was unnecessary. They had thousands of galleons from her father's inheritance from his family, now Katie's. If they needed money in the muggle world she just exchanged her galleons for non-wizard money.

She bade her mother goodbye with the promise of coming home more often. She was busy, to be sure, but seeing how alone her mother felt was motivation in itself for spending more time with her. Katie closed the kitchen door softly and walked down a trodden dirt path towards the field, her eyes on the stars as her feet followed the path without her needing to look.

That was when the first curse hit.

Strong enough that it knocked her off her feet and backwards, the curse left a stinging sensation in her abdomen where she had been hit. Another came as Katie struggled to her feet, knocking her down again. She played at being unconscious for a moment. Using that time to catch her breath and look around the field with her hair covering her eyes, she slowly withdrew her wand and then lurched to her feet.

A jet of red light shot out of the trees surrounding the field. It missed her by inches; she could feel the crackle of magic energy, taste the sparks on her tongue. She ducked behind the tall grasses and now that she knew the direction it was coming from she could scramble towards the tree line without being seen.

It didn't work; another stream of light hit her from behind and knocked her flat.

She heard the crunching of grass under feet come closer to her. She lifted her head, dazed, then fell back down, unconscious.

* * *

Whew! I really hate this chapter. It took me over four rewrites to get it resembling something I liked enough to post. I'm sorry if its really bad; next chapter will be much more interesting!

Thank you all for the reviews, it was really motivating to read them. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to read :)

Rembaud


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"I'm _fine_!" Katie batted away the hands that poked and prodded her.

"You were released from the hospital this morning." Angelina frowned and reached out.

Katie ducked before her hand could touch her. "And I'm fine! They gave me a clean bill of health."

"That doesn't mean there can't be any residual effects from the—"

Katie cut Alicia off. "They checked for that. _I_ checked for that. _I'm fine_!" She repeated once more.

Her friends gave her twin concerned looks mixed with worry, but Katie ignored it in favor of getting dressed. She didn't have to go back to work for another two days but all the sitting in St. Mungo's Ward for Spell Damage for the past three had made her itch for motion. She appreciated the time off, really, but the attention she had been receiving from all of her friends and her mother was overwhelming and not so welcome anymore. She was tired of being on the other side of the curtains in the hospital when she was used to being on the side that was healing patients.

"Look, Katie." Angelina started. "We're just worried. You were _attacked_."

"And the aurors are working on it." Katie reminded her. "_Alicia's_ working on the case."

It was true; the moment her friends had found out about the attack all of her friends (and even acquaintances) in the Auror Department had rushed to figure out who had attacked her. Even Harry Potter was working the case. So far, nothing had shown up. The only sign that there had been people in the field besides her at all were stalks of crushed grass and a few footprints in the mud.

Angelina and Alicia had been coddling her ever since she had arrived home. It was nice to have friends that cared about her, but it was bordering on unbearable when they refused to let her do anything for herself, even make tea or get dressed in the mornings. She was stiff and her ribs still ached with the hexes that had struck her but otherwise she was perfect, other than the small scar in between her shoulders on her back that even the Healers hadn't been able to get rid of.

It was strange and star-shaped, the scar tissue spreading out in bursts that made it look like an aura surrounding the moon. The weirdest part was that she couldn't even remember being struck there. There was a stinging spell that had hit her ribs, the first hex that had knocked her over, but she couldn't remember any of the other curses.

Alicia sighed deeply, resting a hand on Angelina's shoulder in comfort. "We'll lay off a bit." She promised.

"_Thank_ you." Katie huffed, relieved.

"But you have to promise that you won't go anywhere alone for a while." Katie glared at the two girls.

"You've got to be kidding me." She said.

"We're not." Angelina, the usually rational one, said.

Their concern wasn't unwarranted. If it hadn't been for her mother, Katie didn't know what would have happened. Her mother had seen the jets of light from the kitchen window and had called Oliver on the cell phone, having kept his number from a long way back. Oliver had then aparated straight to the field behind Katie's family home and sent a patronus to the aurors when he had found her unconscious. He had seen no sign of her attackers. Katie had never been more grateful that she had bought him a muggle phone one Christmas.

"You know what? Fine. But I'm going out today." Katie said. Her friends shared a look, then grimaced.

"I've got work today." Alicia told her.

"And I've got practice." Angelina said.

"So what you're saying is that I'm never leaving this flat again." Katie replied drolly.

"No!" Alicia cried, then bit her lip. "I mean, if we had any say in it—"

"—you're your own woman, and we can't stop you—" Angelina continued.

"Even though we really, really want to." Alicia finished.

Katie growled lightly. "I need milk."

"Well, maybe George or Lee can take the day off."

"I don't need a babysitter!" Katie shouted.

Her friends gave her level looks. Katie pouted but didn't argue her case anymore. It _was_ safer for her not to go out alone; the flat was protected by charms and spells but anything could happen outside. It had already.

"Alright." She conceded. "But I _do_ need milk."

* * *

"All dressed up and nowhere to go." Alicia grinned. Katie and Angelina chuckled loudly, then turned back to the mirror in Katie's room to do their hair.

"We _do_ have somewhere to go." Katie giggled. "And we're going to look wonderful!"

"Smoking." Angelina laughed.

They were getting ready for Oliver's. It was the night before Katie would return back to work but she'd gotten so much rest over the past week that she was crazed for something, anything, to do. She was more excited about the party than she had been for anything in a long time. The possibility of chatting and mingling with people from the Quidditch world like coaches and players, teammates of Oliver's, made her forget about the attack that had happened just five days ago.

"Wear the red." Alicia recommended to Angelina. "It makes your skin glow."

Angelina shrugged out of her robes and slid into a wine-colored dress that had long sleeves and ruched in the front. She wore black kitten heels to complete the look, the small heal only accenting her tall, curvy figure. She twirled in front of the mirror and raised her arms above her head.

"Beautiful." Katie said.

"Gorgeous!" Alicia crowed.

"Alright, now you." Angelina hustled them over to the shopping bags. Alicia took her dress out first.

It was a black peplum dress with gold studs around the neckline, sleeveless and form fitted. She finished the look with strappy black shoes. Katie's friends grinned at her suddenly.

"What?" Katie asked suspiciously.

"We got you a surprise!" Angelina pulled out a bag from under the bed, having been hidden there the night before.

"Alright, Kates." Angelina and Alicia wore mirrored smirks. "Here's what we got for you."

They pulled out an atrociously colored lime green dress that matched her Healer's robes. Katie pulled a face.

"You've got to be kidding me."

They burst into laughter and chucked the ugly dress aside, giggling harder as it collapsed on the floor with a flurry of taffeta and frills.

"Just kidding." Alicia smiled and held up another bag. Out came a champagne colored dress with gold strands threaded through it, making it glimmer.

"We saw it and figured it would make your eyes _pop_." Angelina popped the p sounds in the word.

Katie wiped at her forehead in mock relief and grinned. It was a little hard to get on, the fabric so thin that it tangled around her ankles when she first stepped into it, but when it was done she looked at herself in the mirror. It had been a long time since she had felt so beautiful. Mostly she ran around in robes that were so oversized they swallowed her up or her Healer's robes. Paired with gold heals and her wavy hair curled to perfection, she suddenly felt irresistible. _Puddlemere, eat your heart out_, she thought.

It took another hour to fix everyone's hair and glamour away stray zits, using the cosmetics recently purchased to add onto their outfits. After putting on their coats and hooking their arms together, they apparated outside of Oliver's flat in the center of London. Their legs were cold from the winter air but his flat was brimming with warmth from all of the bodies inside. It was absolutely packed; for a moment Katie bit her lip and felt anxiety bubble up inside of her.

But then Alicia beamed and tugged on her arm and inside they went.

"My beautiful chasers! Don't you look stunning tonight!" Oliver greeted them each with a kiss on the cheek. Katie smelled the firewhiskey on him immediately.

"We're not your chasers anymore, Ollie." Angelina chided.

"You'll always be my girls." Oliver replied with a huge smile. He looked around. "Where's George and Lee?"

"Still at the store, closing up. They'll be here in a bit."

Katie took a moment to look Oliver over. He was dressed in grey slacks and a wine colored dress shirt, his hair neatly combed and for once not sticking up all over from running his hand through it. He gave her a softer smile than the others, one she knew was just reserved for her, and her green eyes met his brown ones. Then he was tugged away into the crowd with a shout from some of his teammates and he left the girls to find their way to the drinks and whatever few spots were still open to sit down.

"It's _hot_ in here." Alicia took off her coat and the skin she bared caught the attention of more than one man. One offered nicely to take their jackets and wove through the crowd to put them into the spare bedroom.

Angelina giggled as she collected a drink from the open bar. "I think you just bewitched every man in your vicinity."

Alicia simply rolled her eyes and poured herself a glass of wine. Katie settled for a tumbler of firewhiskey and pressed her back against the wall as a pair of Quidditch teammates of Oliver's passed them by, all elbows.

"I think I see George!" Katie said and stepped up on her toes to see past the crowd. Music was playing loudly and the beat resonated in her bones, making her bounce up and down. She waved at the redhead and took a sip from her drink.

"Hullo!" George bellowed over the music. Lee was trailing after him, smiling at the girls. He grabbed a couple of butterbeers from the bar and handed one to George and popping off the cap to take a sip of the other. George kissed Angelina on the cheek and they shared a loving glance that made Katie jealous and happy at the same time.

"I think it's time to mingle." Alicia said slyly and disappeared into the crowd. Lee looked after her longingly until Katie elbowed him in the gut.

"_Oof_. What?" He rubbed his stomach.

"You were pining." Katie accused him.

"Was not! I was just…" He trailed off. "Pining, yeah."

"Well snap out of it! I think you owe me a dance." She set down her drink and grabbed his hand and pulled him to the center of the large living room that held couples dancing to the strong beat of the music. He grinned at her and put his hands on her waist, swinging her in circles.

She laughed as she bumped into other couples, apologizing profusely each time. He dipped his head.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly.

"Fed up with being treated like an invalid." She huffed.

"Katie, you were attacked." He said. "As in, full out spells that nearly killed you."

She lowered her head and replied so softly he couldn't hear, "They weren't trying to kill me."

"What?" Lee tilted his head to the side.

"I'm fine." She hated the phrase, having said it so many times it barely meant anything to her anymore.

Lee swung her around once to get the frown off her face and then led her back to where Angelina and George had found a spot on the couch. She panted a bit, grinning with exertion and reaching for her drink. Taking a few sips, she felt the liquid race to her belly in a strike of heat. She tugged at the collar of her dress and felt a bead of sweat drip down her back.

"Merlin, it's warm in here." She said.

Across the room she saw Oliver opening a few windows to let in the cold air and she sighed with relief, as did many others. The cool air washed over her for a minute and she let herself close her eyes for just a moment, relishing in it.

"Don't look now, but I see Flint." Angelina said. Against her words they all swivel their heads around as she rolled her eyes.

Marcus Flint is leaning against the opposite wall, staring straight at them. He gives them a sneer then raises his glass in a mock salute. Katie couldn't help but wonder if it's to her or to all of them; a part of her mind, the skeptical part, thought he was glaring at her. She grimaced back in response and a smirk graced his face.

"What's he doing here?" George growled. Katie shrugged.

"I think Ollie invited the Falcons, too." Angelina supplied.

"Wonderful." Katie said sarcastically. She'd seen enough of him at work for the past week and didn't really want to see him again, let alone somewhere she had been so relaxed and carefree.

Three drinks and ten songs later she had forgotten all about him. She'd danced with Lee again, then George, and finally a few teammates of Oliver's from Puddlemere. She was pleasantly buzzed and had had a wonderful conversation with a coach from one of the Quidditch teams invited and had gotten good advice on how to go about getting a job as a Healer for a team. Catching sight of Alicia and Lee dancing together, she felt her chest constrict with happiness and a grin appeared on her face. Maybe Lee wasn't so hopeless in his pursuit after all.

When she realized she needed to go to the loo she went to use the private one in Oliver's room, knowing that he wouldn't mind. She sidestepped the crowd in the hallway and entered his room, using the privacy in the bathroom to freshen up and take a quick breather away from the overwhelming amount of people in the apartment.

She stepped out of Oliver's bedroom and back into the hall. Before she could make a move back to the living room to where her friends were dancing and chatting, a hand grabbed her elbow, pulling her to the end of the hall where it was darker and more secluded. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness but once they did, she gasped at who it was.

Marcus let her go when she yanked her elbow out of his grasp. He frowned and she glared.

"What do _you_ want?" Katie narrowed her eyes.

"Can't an old friend say hello?" He snickered meanly.

"We were never friends, Flint, and we never will be." She scowled. She rubbed her elbow where he had touched it, the imprint of his fingers still tingling.

He was much taller than her, she noticed now. Even in her heels she didn't compare to his height. He was built like a brick wall with broad shoulders and thick muscles in his legs and arms. His teeth had been straightened a while ago, probably after one of his numerous mishaps from playing Quidditch. She couldn't imagine he was the vain type to get them fixed for no other reason than for his appearance. She thought he might be attractive if his nose wasn't still crooked from his accident two weeks ago, then snapped out of that thought immediately.

She could never be attracted to _Flint_, who back at Hogwarts had tried to make her life hell. He had pushed her around on the Quidditch pitch and in the hallways, calling her names and hexing her when she wasn't looking. Katie had always gotten her revenge somehow though, and it more often than not she was the one calling him names or making fun of him, too. He had also been the worst patient she had ever had.

"What do you _want_." She repeated, stating it more than asking.

"I have a proposition for you." He said, face blank.

"What kind of proposition?" She asked, eyes cold.

"I want to hire you."

Katie gaped. What could she ever have that would make Flint want to hire her? Unless…

"I'm not a prostitute!" She shouted and every head in the hallway swiveled to look at them.

"That's not—"

"Excuse me, _escort_."

"Will you—"

"I mean, I guess that's what you call it professionally, although I've never—"

"Shut up!" He bellowed.

She looked up at him, startled. Every conversation in the hallway had dimmed as they tuned into what Katie and Marcus were saying. She was suddenly very aware of all the eyes on her and she pulled Flint into Oliver's room, giving the two of them some privacy so that she could properly shout at him. She was _not_ going to have sex with him, paid or otherwise.

"What the hell, Flint?" She pushed at his chest. He was like an immoveable object, not budging under her hands.

He rubbed a hand through his hair. "I wasn't talking about sex." He said.

"Like I'm going to believe anything you say to—"

"Will you just be quiet for a minute?" He interrupted. Katie sealed her lips with an icy glare in her eyes and stared at him.

Green eyes met brown and for a second she was struck with how passionate they looked. There was fire behind them, igniting a glow that made her forget all about what he had been shouting at her about. At least, for a minute.

"I want to hire you. As a _Healer_." He said snidely.

She frowned. "What?"

"A personal Healer."

"The Falcons already have a Healer." She replied.

"He's busy working on my other teammates all the time. He doesn't have time for small injuries sustained during games or practice. And…" He trailed off, looking vulnerable.

She motioned for him to continue.

"And I've heard you're alright at what you do." He finished.

"Alright? You want to hire me because you've heard that I'm alright." It wasn't a question. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

"Okay, maybe better than alright. Pretty good, I hear." He said.

"And why would I want to be your personal Healer, Flint? I've already got a perfectly suitable job." She said.

"A job where you won't ever get promoted because the Healer in Charge is too backwards to ever see your potential." He sneered.

She huffed, putting her hands on her hips and took an offensive position. "I'll have you know that I've been told that I have _many_ prospects for my future—"

He cut her off. "Nothing like what you really want to do."

"And what would you know about that?" Katie flipped her hair over her shoulder, looking at him with her nose in the air and a haughty look on her face.

Marcus rolled his eyes. "You want to work for a team. It's obvious in the way you handle patients. Like you're looking for a recommendation."

She frowned at how close he was to the truth. It wasn't that she wasn't happy with her job, she just wanted something where she could put her Healing to stronger use. It wasn't about the money or the fame, it was about retaining close to the Quidditch world, to be on the sidelines. She wanted to do her job with something she loved.

"What do you _really_ want, Flint?" She asked.

"I just told you, Bell. Katie." She was shocked that he actually knew her name.

"And what do I get in return?" She raised one eyebrow.

"I'll pay you, of course." He said.

"I've already got a job that pays." Katie moved for the door, turning away from him.

A callused hand gripped her upper arm. It was a soft grasp, not demanding or impatient, one that she could easily break out of if she yanked her arm.

"_And_ I'll recommend you to the coach. For a full-time job." He implored.

It was tempting, truly it was. Katie had never been offered a position like that before. But it involved working closely with Flint, a little more closely than she wanted to. In fact, if she had her choice, she would have preferred to never see him again. But as the offer stood it was too enticing to ignore.

"What do I have to do?" She looked at him skeptically. Because if it in any way involved sex… No. Definitely not.

"Work for me, exclusively. Heal me after games and practices. Be on the field for games and heal the injuries I sustain." He said.

It sounded like a reasonable deal, but there had to be something more behind it. She asked him what his motives were but didn't get an answer.

"Take it or leave it, Bell." He tucked his hands into his pockets, narrowing his eyes at her.

"For how long?" She asked.

"A month."

"Deal." She said and they shook on it.

* * *

Katie couldn't explain to herself what she'd just done but she had a sinking feeling in her gut that it would be more than he had told her it would entail.

"I can't believe you made a deal with Flint!" Alicia cried when they had reached Katie's flat and were making tea in the kitchen in their pajamas. "You hate him!"

Katie sighed. "I know. But it was too good to pass up. It's only for a month. And then I could possibly land my dream job." She appealed to the rational side in her friend.

She had left the party quickly after her conversation with Flint, saying goodbye to her friends, needing time to think about it. Now that she was sober and had a clear mind the deal seemed more daunting than it had before. It had suddenly hit her how odd it was that Flint was asking her to be his Healer, when there were plenty of equally qualified Healers out there with more experience than her few years of Healing in St. Mungo's.

It was strange, but who was she to look a gift horse in the mouth?

Alicia sighed. "I'm just wondering why he asked you in the first place."

Katie bristled and said, "Maybe because I'm good at what I do."

Alicia placated her friend and rolled her eyes. "I know that, Kates. But does he?"

"I did spend four days in the ward laboring over him." Katie replied.

"Yeah, but—" Katie cut Alicia off.

"I'm not going to think about it any more tonight." She yawned. "It's already nearing two AM."

With that said she put her mug in the sink and got ready for bed. After brushing her teeth and washing the remnants of makeup off of her face, she climbed under the covers and shut off the bedside lamp. It took her a while to fall asleep, thoughts churning through her head.

She had doubts. She didn't understand why Flint had asked her to do this, and thought that it might very well be some kind of game he was playing. Though they were well past the days of house rivalries, there could be some sort of secret agenda. It confused her to think about his motives, or if he was just truly offering her a job, no games in hand.

She drifted off to sleep with these thoughts swaying in her mind. Her dreams were filled with everyday mundane things, like running out of milk and being late to work. But for just a little bit at the end her dreams revolved around the man with the fire in his eyes and the scowl on his face.

* * *

Thanks again for the views and reviews :) I hope you guys are liking the story some more. I know these first few chapters haven't had much Marcus in them and that will soon be rectified! Prepare yourselves for a Flint-filled chapter four.

As always, please review!

Rembaud


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